The 2024 World Aquatics Championship had four semifinal events on Day 6 from Doha.
Swimmers punched their tickets into the finals in the men’s 100 butterfly, women’s 200 backstroke, men’s 50 freestyle and women’s 50 butterfly.
World Championships: Men’s 100 Butterfly Semis
Portugal’s Diogo Matos Ribeiro continued his elite meet with a top seed in the 100 butterfly. He got to the wall in 51.30 to earn the top seed in finals by three hundredths of a second.
Poland’s Jakub Majerski took the second seed in 51.33 despite coming home five hundredths faster on the back half.
Austria’s Simon Bucher wasn’t far behind either with a 51.39 for the third seed, ahead of Spain’s Mario Molla Yanes (51.48).
South Africa’s Chad le Clos took the fifth seed, but is well within striking distance with his time 51.70.
Bulgaria’s Josif Miladinov (51.72), Nyls Korstanje of the Netherlands (51.75) and USA’s Zach Harting (51.78) rounded out the finalists.
World Championships: Women’s 200 Backstroke Semis
The strong week continues for Claire Curzan. The USA star took the top seed in the 200 backstroke. She was nearly two seconds ahead of the field with her time of 2:07.01, giving her the top seed for tomorrow’s final.
Australia’s Jacklyn Barclay took the second seed in 2:08.85, the only other swimmer in the field to break 2:09.
The third seed went to Hungary’s Eszter Szabo-Feltothy in 2:09.42, followed by Anastasiya Shkurdai in 2:09.76 and Bulgaria’s Gabriela Georgieva (2:09.95).
Rounding out the top eight are Poland’s Laura Bernat (2:10.00), Hungary’s Dora Molnar (2:10.31) and Great Britain’s Freya Colbert (2:10.67).
World Championships: Men’s 50 Free Semis
Australia’s Cameron McEvoy claimed the top seed in the 50 freestyle, getting to the wall in 21.23. The time is two tenths of a second off the championship record (21.04) set by Caeleb Dressel.
The world record is 20.91 set by Cesar Cielo in 2009.
Ukraine’s Vladyslav Bukhov took the second seed in 21.38, just ahead of Great Britain’s Benjamim Proud (21.54).
Sweden’s Bjorn Seeliger, who stars at Cal, took the fourth seed in 21.67.
Greece’s Kristian Gkolomeev took the fourth seed (21.72), followed by Kenzo Simons of the Netherlands (21.73), Australia’s Isaac Cooper (21.74) and USA’s Michael Andrew (21.77).
World Championships: Women’s 50 Butterfly Semis
Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom claimed the top seed in the 50 butterfly. The world record holder got to the wall in 25.08 to take the top seed into finals.
Here world record in the event is 24.43, set in 2014.
France’s Melanie Henique took the second seed in 25.27, just ahead of Egypt’s Farida Osman (25.80).
The fourth seed was a tie between China’s Yu Titing and Australia’s Alexandria Perkins, who both finished in 25.81.
South Africa’s Erin Gallagher took the sixth spot (25.86), followed by Australia’s Brianna Throssell (25.97).
The eighth seed was a tie between Germany’s Angelina Kohler and Greece’s Anna Ntountounaki, who both finished in 25.98, which required a swim-off.
Kohler won the swim-off 25.79-25.97.
